1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assembly for attaching a coin separator to a coin stacker. More particularly, it relates to an attaching assembly which facilitates the attachment and detachment of the coin separator to and from the coin stacker.
2. Description of the Related Art
A coin stacker for assorting coins and stacking the assorted coins has been generally known. Usually, a coin separator for assorting the coins (value-X coins and value-Y coins which are respectively exemplified by a 100-yen coin and a 500-yen coin in the Japanese currency) is attached to such a coin stacker. As illustrated in FIG. 7 of the accompanying drawings, the coin separator in the prior art has an assortment passage 1 which is formed with a drop hole for allowing the dropping of only the coin of smaller diameter (for example, the 100-yen coin), a smaller-diameter coin passage 2 which is connected to the drop hole of the assortment passage 1 so as to transport or deliver the smaller-diameter coin to a predetermined coin holding box, and larger-diameter coin passages 3 and 4 which are connected to the trailing end or inner end of the assortment passage 1 so as to transport the coins of larger diameter (for example, the 500-yen coins) to predetermined coin holding boxes. In the example depicted in FIG. 7, the larger-diameter coins can be switchably transported into the two kinds of coin holding boxes (for money changing or money collecting, by way of example). The switching is effected by a flapper 5, and a solenoid actuator 6 and a connecting link 7 which serve to drive the flapper 5. In addition, sensors 8 and 9 for detecting the passing of the corresponding sorts of coins are respectively disposed at the trailing end parts of the smaller-diameter coin passage 2 and the assortment passage 1. The sensors 8 and 9 are capable of detecting the coins.
The coin separator of this type is mounted and used in the state in which the entrance portion 1a of the assortment passage 1 is fitted in the coin acceptance portion of the coin stacker, and in which the predetermined coin holding boxes are connected to the respective ejection passages 2, 3 and 4.
The attaching assembly for the coin separator in the prior art, however, has a structure in which the coin separator is merely fixed at its mounting position to the coin stacker by a plurality of screws.
With such an attaching assembly as in the prior art, the attachment of the coin separator necessitates the troublesome operations that the entrance portion 1a is fitted in at the predetermined position without any guide means beforehand, and that, while the coin separator held with one hand is being located to the predetermined mounting position, the plurality of screws are driven with the other hand. Also, the detachment of the coin separator necessitates similar troublesome operations in the reverse order. Regarding the coin separator of this type, dust etc. is liable to adhere to the assortment passage 1, and drawbacks such as inability to assort the coins and clogging with coins might occur due to the dust etc. Accordingly, the coin separator needs to be detached and cleaned on occasion. It has therefore been eagerly desired to facilitate the attaching and detaching operations.